Conventionally, a sanitary napkin that is used in contact with the female pubic region has been used for a female sanitary product in general. However, the napkin is used through being adhered to a garment and does not closely come into contact with the ostium vaginae area. Therefore, it is likely to generate a leak (side leak) of menstrual blood from the gap between the body and napkin, there is a fear that the garment may be stained.
As a sanitary product effective to prevent such a side leak, for example, a sanitary napkin 24 as shown in FIG. 2 is proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1991-43833).
The sanitary napkin 24 is provided with a ring-shaped protrusion 24a on the body side face of the napkin, thereby to prevent the side leak of menstrual blood by surely catching the menstrual blood through a hole part 24b formed by the ring-shaped protrusion 24a. In accordance with the sanitary napkin 24, it is relatively not likely to generate the side shift when a wearer does not make much movement such as exercises and walking. Thus, the menstrual blood is guided to the hole part 24b inside the ring-shaped protrusion 24a, thereby decreasing a risk of causing the side leak.
However, the sanitary napkin 24 moves together with the underclothing to which the sanitary napkin 24 is attached, when the wearer makes the movements such as exercises and walking. Thus, the position shift is easily generated between the pubic region and the hole part 24b, and it cannot completely prevent the side leak when the wearer moves, so there is a fear that the garment may be stained.
Further, as a sanitary product effective to prevent the side leak, for example, a sanitary napkin 34 as shown in FIG. 3 is also proposed (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1995-13319).
The sanitary napkin 34 comprises a water impermeable flap 36 with elasticity provided on a body side of a napkin main body and an adhesion portion 37 provided on the body side face of the flap 36. By adhering the adhesion portion 37 to the body, a three-dimensional wall with water impermeability is formed between the body and the napkin main body, thereby effectively preventing the side leak. Therefore, it has an advantage that the garment is not stained even when the wearer makes the movements such as exercises and walking.
However, as for the sanitary napkin 34, due to its structure, the napkin main body comes into contact with a wide range of the skin from the vestibule to the haunches. Therefore, the menstrual blood is to be attached to the wide range of the skin, thereby causing a rough skin.
Further, the sanitary napkin 34 is formed relatively bulky so as to prevent the deformation. Thus, it has a disadvantage in regards to giving an uncomfortable wearing feeling to the body over a wide range. Especially, when the wearer engages in exercises, walking or the like, the sanitary napkin 34 receiving motion stress and the flap 36 fitted to the body are to be deformed. Thus, the body (skin) to which the flap 36 is fixed via an adhesive 37 is being pulled together, so that the wearing feeling is further deteriorated.
The present invention has been designed to overcome the foregoing subjects. An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article which can prevent the side leak of the body fluid such as the menstrual blood so as not to stain the garment and, at the same time, restrict the contact between the discharged body fluid and the skin as much as possible, thereby to obtain a comfortable wearing feeling.